If you look only for “Silas” in the New Testament, you’ll come up a little short. By that name, he’s mentioned only as Paul’s traveling companion on the apostle’s first and second missionary journeys.
That trip to Philippi was rather eventful, but the biographical details are scarce—until you poke around and find that Silas (Aramaic for “Saul,” oddly enough) and Silvanus are the same name in Latin. Peter trusted Silas/Silvanus enough to have him serve as his scribe in writing to fellow believers. “By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand” (1 Peter 5:12).
From both Silas’ example of serving as Paul’s right-hand man on the missionary trips, to serving Peter as a secretary/courier, we see that this was someone who didn’t hunger for the spotlight. Instead, he simply tended to the tasks God gave him to assist the Lord’s apostles.
That’s similar to our responsibility as members of God’s end-time family. Whether we serve as pastors or as teachers—and even if we have no formal “title” or “position”—we are tasked with doing those things we are assigned and doing them gladly.
It may not involve our name in lights. Indeed, our name might not be known to many this side of heaven. But God is watching, and just as Silas/ Silvanus was well respected by Paul and Peter, the Lord will approve those who carry out even the most mundane tasks with joy and a spirit of serving.
Lord, even if no one on earth knows what I’ve done, help me to serve You and Your people with gladness and dedication. Amen!
For Further Study: Acts 15; Genesis 39:4; 1 Kings 1:4
